History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. I, Part 206

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn
Publication date: 1869
Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer
Number of Pages: 1360

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On the 7th the brigade proceeded via Rutledge to Pleasant Valley, where it encamped. Here a large proportion of the men re-enlisted, and received a veteran furlough, to date from January 13th, 1864, and immediately commenced the march for Lexington, Kentucky, where it arrived on the 23d. Proceeding thence by rail it reached Harrisburg on the 2d of February, and on the follow- ing day Pottsville, where it was warmly welcomed, receiving upon its arrival a beautiful silk flag, presented by the ladies as a token of their appreciation tion of its valor.

On the 14th of March, with ranks largely recruited, it left Pottsville and proceeded to Camp Curtin, where it received clothing, and on the 1Sth moved via Philadelphia to Annapolis, the rendezvous for the Ninth Army Corps, and was assigned to its old position in the First Brigade* of the Second Division. Here the Enfield muskets were exchanged for new Springfield rifles. On the 23d of April, the Ninth Corps moved from Annapolis, and on the 25th passed in review before the President at the capital. On the 29th it encamped at Bristoe Station, the Forty-eighth near the railroad bridge.

The Ninth Corps crossed the Rapidan at Germania Ford, on the evening of the 5th of May, and participated, on the following day, in the battle of the Wilderness, the Forty-eighth being on the extreme left of the brigade. During the night it was placed on picket, and was extended so as to cover an entire division front. On the 7th it was employed in constructing breastworks, and was exposed to the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters. Withdrawing in the evening it moved eastwardly, and encamped on the following morning on the old battle-field of Chancellorsville. It was continually on the march during the movements which preceded the sanguinary battles at Spottsylvania Court House. Early on the morning of the 12th, the Ninth Corps was moved to the left of Hancock. The Second Division was formed in two lines of attack, the Second Brigade constituting the first, and the First Brigade the second line. The encmy, who had recovered from the surprise and confusion into which he was thrown by the attack of the Second Corps, was met and driven back to his intrenchments. Immediately in front of the regiment was the Seventeenth Vermont, which, after fighting bravely, and having exhausted its ammunition, was relieved by the Forty-eighth. Its position was on the crest of a hill in front of which was an open field and swamp traversed by a creek, and beyond another hill on which were the rebel riffe-pits. On the left was a thick wood extending beyond the swamp to the enemy's line. As the fog rose a party of rebels was discovered occupying the pit formed by the banks of the creek. Colonel John I. Curtin, commanding the brigade, immediately threw forward his left into the wood, and cut off the retreat of the party, except by the open field directly up the hill in front of his works, which would have been certain destruction. A desperate effort was made to drive back our line, but the Forty-

*Organization of the First Brigade, Colonel Z. R. Bliss, Second Division, Brigadier General Robert B Potter, Ninth Corps, Major General Burnside. Forty-eighth Regiment Pennsylva- nia Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Pleasants; Forty-fifth Regiment Pennsylvania, Vol- unteers, Colonel John I. Curtin; Thirty-sixth Massachusetts Volunteers, Colonel William F. Draper; Fifty-eighth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, Colonel John C. Whiton; Thirty- fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel John W. Hudson; Fourth Regi- ment Rhode Island Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel M. P. Buffum; Seventh Regiment Rhode Island Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel Percy Daniels.

1198

1864

FORTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.

eighth steadily maintained its position under a destruetive fire of musketry and artillery, and captured two hundred prisoners, mostly Georgia troops belong- ing to Gordon's Division. In the afternoon another assault was ordered, and the regiment charged forward to the swamp, when, finding itself unsupported, it moved by the flank into the woods, and returned to its former position on the crest of the hill. This movement was made under a galling fire, and was at- tended with heavy loss. Sinee erossing the Rapidan on the 5th, the Forty- eighth had lost one hundred and eighty-seven killed and wounded; among the former was Lientenant Henry C. Jackson, of company G, a brave officer who fell at Spottsylvania.

A charge was made on the euemy's works on the 18th, and his first line car- ried, but owing to the strong position and the heavy abatis, the second was not reached. On the same day the regiment buried eighty-one dead rebels in the swamp where the eneounter of the 12th oeeurred. Crossing the North Anna River on the 24th, under a heavy artillery fire, it was several days engaged in skirmishing, but without serious loss. It reached the Pamunkey on the 28th, and on the following day crossed the Tolopotomy and drove the enemy's skir- mishers back upon his main line. On the 31st the regiment sustained a great loss in the death of Major Gilmour, an excellent officer, who was hit by a sharp- shooter and died from the effects of the wound. Lieutenants Samuel Lauben- stine and William H Hume, two gallant officers, were also killed in a similar manner.

On the 3d of Jnne was fought the battle of Cold Harbor. The First Brigade attacked the enemy at daylight, and advanced to within one hundred yards of his line of works. It there halted, erected breastworks under a most destruc- tive fire of infantry, and held the position. As it moved to the attack the enemy was in the act of bringing a battery into position. The fire of the brigade was immediately directed upon it, and every horse belonging to it was killed, and its guns rendered useless for the day. The loss of the regiment was seventy- five, killed and wounded. Moving to the left on the following day, the regi- ment was ordered to hold, at all hazards, the road in front, where it crossed a swamp. A breastwork was hastily thrown up and the pieket line established. For an hour on the afternoon of the 6th the rebels shelled this position, when a column of infantry emerged from the woods, drove in the piekets and charged full upon the line held by the Forty-eighth. The attack was repulsed without loss to the regiment, the road firmly held and the pieket line established on the following morning.

It again resumed the march, erossed the Chiekahominy on the morning of the 14th, the James on the evening of the 15th, and on the afternoon of the 16th confronted the enemy before Petersburg. The regiment, soon after its ar- rival, charged under a heavy artillery fire and seized a position in close prox- imity to his main line of works, which had been unsuccessfully attempted by a portion of the Second Corps during the afternoon. Before daylight of the 17th the Forty-eighth and the Thirty-sixth Massaelinsetts, of the First Brigade, crossed a marsh, which was situated just in front, in single file and in perfect silence. The line was formed, and joined to a line composed of part of the Second Brigade, and by a sudden dash carried the rebel works and captured the men behind them. It was a complete surprise. The enemy's line was driven in con- fusion for half a mile, four pieces of artillery, fifteen hundred stand of arms, and six hundred prisoners were taken. A flag of the Forty-fourth Tennessee

1864

1199

IN FRONT OF PETERSBURG.

Regiment, on which was inscribed "Shiloh," was captured, and the colors of the Seventh New York Heavy Artillery re-captured by Sergeant Patrick Mon- aghan, of company F, and Private Robert A. Reid, of company G, for which each received medals of honor. The loss was seventy-five killed and wounded.

At daylight the division moved forward and threw up intrenchments, which were vigorously shelled, but no attempt was made to re-capture them. During the night the rebels withdrew to a position near the suburbs of Petersburg, which became their permanent line of defence until its capture in 1865. On the morning of the 18th an unsuccessful assault was made upon their new lines, which resulted, however, in capturing the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad, and in extending the Union lines close up to those of the enemy. At one point, made memorable by the Petersburg Mine, the two lines were less than two hun- dred yards apart.

Opposite the position occupied by the Second Division of the Ninth Corps, the enemy had constructed a strong redoubt a short distance below the crest of Cemetery Hill. To carry this work by direct assault would require a terrible sacrifice of life. As early as the 21st, Lieutenant Colonel Henry . Pleasants, then commanding the Second Brigade, conceived the idea of excavating a mine underneath the fort which so temptingly loomed up in his front, and of opening the enemy's lines by means of an explosion. On the 24th he stated his plan to General Potter, who, in turn, proposed it to General Burnside. At a subse- quent interview with Generals Potter and Burnside, in which Colonel Pleasants fully presented his views, it was decided to attempt the execution of his design, and he was ordered to proceed with the proposed work.

"It was commenced," says Colonel Pleasants in his official report, "at twelve M., the 25th of June, 1864, without tools, lumber, or any of the materials requi- site for such a work .* The mining picks were made out of those used by our pioneers; plank I obtained, at first by tearing down a rebel bridge and after- wards by sending to a saw-mill five or six miles distant, and the material exca- vated was carried out in hand-barrows, constructed of cracker boxes. The work progressed rapidly until the 2d of July, when it reached extremely wet ground. The timbers gave way, and the roof and the floor of the mine nearly met. I re- timbered it and started again. From this point I had to excavate a stratum of marl, the consistency of which was like putty, and which caused our pro- gress to be necessarily slow. To avoid this, I started an inclined plane, and in about one hundred feet rose thirteen and one-half feet, perpendicular. On the 17th of July the main gallery was completed, being five hundred and ten and

#REPORT OF COMMITTEE .- The committee say that Lieutenant Colonel Pleasants labored under disadvantages in the successful accomplishment of this important work, which would have deterred a man of less energy. It was not merely the evident laek of faith in the success of the enterprise shown by all the officers of high rank, except his division and corps com- manders, but that laek of faith was accompanied by an entire failure to furnish the assistance and implements necessary to the success of the undertaking, within a reasonable time. The testimony of Lieutenant Colonel Pleasants shows that he had to dig and mine with only the men of his own regiment ; that the dirt had to be carried out in cracker boxes, slung between poles, for laek of wheelbarrows; that he was even refused the use of an instrumen at head- quarters, wherewith to make the necessary triangulations. but that General Burnside had to send to Washington for an old fashioned theodolite. General Meade and Major Duane, Chief Engineer of the Army of the Potomac, said the thing could not be done; that it was all clap- trap and nonsense; that such a length of mine had never been excavated in military opera- tions and could not be .-- Report on the Conduct of the War, 1865, Vol. 1, page 1-2-Battle of Petersburg.

1200

FORTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.

1864

eight-tenths fcet in length. The enemy having obtained information of the mine, and having commenced searching for it, I was ordered to stop operations, which were, however, re-commenced on the 18th of July, by starting the left lateral gallery.

"At six P. M., July 18th, I commenced the right lateral gallery, but, as the enemy could be plainly heard working over us in the fort, I caused this gallery to be excavated a little beyond and in rear of their works, and gave it a curved line of direction. The left lateral gallery, being thirty seven fect long, was stopped at midnight, July 22; the right lateral gallery, being thirty-eight feet long, was stopped at six P. M., July 23. The mine could have been charged and exploded at this time, but I employed the men from that time in draining, timbering, and placing the magazines in position.

" The mine was ventilated at first by having the fresh air go in along the main gallery as far as it was excavated, and return, charged with all the gases liberated from the ground and generated in the mine, in a square tube made of boards, and whose area was sixty inches. This tube led to a perpendicular shaft (twenty-two feet high) out of which the vitiated air escaped .* At the bottom of this shaft was placed a grating, on which a fre was continually kept burning, which, by heating the air, rarefied it, and increased its current. After- wards I caused the fresh air to be led, in the above mentioned tube, to the end of the work, and the vitiated air to return by the gallery, and ont at the shaft, placing a partition to prevent its exit by the entrance of the mine. The latter

plan was the better, because the gases had to travel a less distance in the mine before they left it than before. The mine was excavated by the enlisted men of the Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Regiment. As the excavation progressed the number required to carry out the earth increased, until, at last, it took nearly every enlisted man in the regiment, which consisted of nearly four hundred effective men. The whole amount of material excavated was eighteen thou- sand (18,000) cubic feet. The great difficulty to surmount was to obtain the exact distance from the entrance of the mine to the enemy's works, and the course of these works. This was accomplished by making five separate tri- angulations with a theodolite and taking their mean. The triangulations were made in our most advanced line of works, and within one hundred and thirty- three yards of the enemy's line of sharp-shooters.

" Having received the order to charge our mine on the 27th of July, I com- menced putting in the powder at four P. M., and finished at ten P. M. The charge consisted of three hundred and twenty kegs of powder, each containing about twenty-five pounds, [four tons.] It was placed in eight magazines, con- nected together by wooden tubes half filled with powder. These tubes met

*Such was the secrecy with which it was conducted that for a long time the project was un- known, even to those at whose side it was going on. It is truc that reports were in circulation of a mine, but nobody could speak certainly of the matter. So much doubt was there, indeed that for a time it was disbelieved that any such undertaking was on foot. One soldier in the breastworks, by whose side a ventilating shaft emerged, told his comrades, in the most sur- prised manner, that "there was a lot of fellows under him a doing something ; he knew there was, for he could hear 'em talk." To guard against indiscretion on the part of the pickets, to prevent any meeting of our soldiers with the rebels, whereat the secret of the mine might be boastingly or imprudently disclosed, our pickets were ordered to fire continually. Hence, the never ending fusilade on the front of the Ninth Corps, so incomprehensible to the other corps, and which was often referred to in newspaper paragraphs .- Patriotism of Schuylkill County, Wallace, page 341.

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1201

1864

SIEGE OF PETERSBURG.

from the lateral galleries at the inner eud of the main gallery, and from this point I placed three lines of fuses for a distance of ninety-eight feet. Not hav- ing fuses as long as required two pieces had to be spliced together to make the requisite length of each of the lines. The tamping was begun at ten P. M., July 27th, and completed at six P. M., July 28th; thirty-four feet of main gallery was tamped, and ten feet of the entrance of each of the lateral galleries, but the space between the magazines was left clear of tamping. I received orders from corps headquarters, on the 29th of July, to fire the mine at half past three A.

M., July 30tl. I lighted the fuse at a quarter past three A. M., and having waited until a quarter past four without any explosion having taken place, an officer and a sergeant (Lieutenant Jacob Douty, company K, and Sergeant Henry Rees, company F) of the Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Regiment, volun- teered to go in and examine into the cause of the delay. It was found that the fire had stopped where the fuses were spliced. They were re-lighted, and at sixteen minutes of five A. M., the powder exploded.

"The size of the crater formed by the explosion was at least two hundred (200) feet long, fifty (50) feet wide, and twenty-five (25) feet deep. I stood on top of our breastworks and witnessed the effect of the explosion on the enemy. It so completely paralyzed him, that the breadth of the breach, instead of being only two hundred feet, was practically four or five hundred yards. The rebels in the forts, both on the right and left of the explosion ran away, and for over an hour, as well as I could judge, not a shot was fired by their artil- lery. There was no fire from infantry from the front for at least half an hour; none from the left for twenty minutes, and but few shots from the right."

The miue was a complete success, and its effects exceeded the expectation of its designer. The regiment did not participate in the battle which followed, but was peculiarly interested in its success, and although not ordered in was constantly under fire, a number of the officers and men being in the thickest of the fight. General Meade promptly acknowledged the services of the regiment in the following order:

HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, August 3d, 1864. $

General order, No. 32.

The Commanding General takes great pleasure in acknowledging the valua- ble services rendered by Lieutenant Colonel Henry Pleasants, Forty-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers, and the officers and men of his command, in the excavation of the mine which was successfully exploded on the morning of the 30th ultimo, uuder oue of the enemy's batteries in front of the Second Division of the Niuth Army Corps.

The skill displayed in the laying out of and construction of the mine reflects great credit upon Lieutenant Colonel Pleasants, the officer in charge, and the willing endurance by the officers and men of the regiment of the extraordinary labor and fatigue involved in the prosecution of the work to completion, are worthy of the highest praise.

By command of Major General Meade.

S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant General.

After the unfortunate termination of the assault there was quiet again, in- terrupted only by constant picket firing. On the 2d of August the regiment, 151

1202

FORTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT,

1865

under command of Major Bosbyshell, was temporarily assigned to the Second Brigade of the Second Division, Lieutenant Colonel Pleasants. It participated, on the 30th of September, in the battle at Poplar Spring Church. At the open- ing of the engagement it was held in reserve. In the progress of the fight the line of the brigade was broken, which came near resulting in its capture entire. By skillful manœuvring the regiment preserved its organization, although its lines were thrice broken by frightened troops pouring through them. Its loss was two killed, seven wounded and forty-four taken prisoners. Early on the 27th of October a movement was made to the left, which resulted in some fight- ing, but the brigade, which occupied the right of the column, was not heavily engaged. On the following day the troops were withdrawn, closely followed by the enemy, the Forty-eighth covering the retreat and continually skirmishing.

Early in December, in conjunction with the Seventh Rhode Island and two batteries, the Forty-eighth was sent to occupy Fort Sedgwick, commonly known as "Fort Hell." The enemy's works in front were supplied with eight and ten inch mortars, which almost daily shelled the fort, and caused some loss. Colo- nel Sigfried and Major Bosbyshell were mustered out on the 1st of October, their terms of service having expired. Lieutenant Colonel Pleasants was promoted Colonel, Captain George W. Gowen, of company C, Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain Isaac F. Brannen, of company K, Major. On the 19th of December the term of service of Colonel Pleasants expired, and Lieutenant Colonel Gowen succeeded him, Major Brannen being promoted Lieutenant Colonel.

The regiment remained in the fort until the 2d of April, 1865, when it moved to the assault of the rebel Fort Mahone, in which the gallant Colonel Gowen was killed, when it was thrown into some confusion. Lieutenant Colonel Bran- nen immediately assumed command, ordered his regiment forward, re-assaulted the fort, and carried the works. So impetuous was the attack that it pushed on beyond the fort for some distance, but was ordered back, and used the rear wall for intrenchments, successfully holding it against the enemy's most furious charges. Its loss was ten killed, fifty-six wounded and twenty-four missing. Lieutenant Colonel Brannen was promoted Colonel, Captain Jones, of company G, Lieutenant Colonel, and Quartermaster Jacob Wagner, Major.

On the morning of the 3d the whole line advanced, and occupied Petersburg without opposition. The regiment was detailed to guard the trains to Farm- ville, where it was relicved to take charge of the prisoners captured by Sheri- dan, among whom were the rebel Generals Ewell and Fitz Hugh Lee. The captives were marched to Appomattox Court House, when the rebel army hav- ing surrendered, it returned to Farmville. Remaining at the front until the surrender of Johnston, it proceeded to Alexandria, where it was mustered out of service on the 17th of July, and arrived at Pottsville on the 20th, where it was enthusiastically received, and its career as a regiment terminated.

THREE YEARS' SERVICE.

1203

FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.

NAME.

BANK.

DATE OP MUSTER INTO SERVICE.

REMARKS.

James Nagle.

Col ..

Oct.

1, '61,

3 Promoted to Brigadier General, Sept. 10, 1862- resigned May 9, 1863.

Joshua K. Sigfried ..

.do

Oct.

1, '61,

3 Promoted from Maj. to Lt. Col., Nov. 30, '61-to Col., Sept. 20, 1862-to Bv. Brig. Gen., Aug. 1, '64-mus. out, Oct. 11, '64-expiration of term.

George W. Gowen ..

Sept. 11, '61,

3 Promoted from Capt. Co. C to Lt. Col., Dec. 20, '64-to Col., March 1, '65-killed at Petersburg, Va., April 2, 1865.

Isaac F. Brannon.

... do

Oct.

1, '61,

3 Promoted from Capt. Co. K to Maj., Dec. 20, '64- to Lt. Col., March 1, '65-to Col., May 11, '65 --- mustered out with regiment, July 17, 1865.

David A. Smith ......

Lt. Col.

3 Commissioned August 20, 1861-not mustered- resigned November, 1861.

Henry Pleasants

.. do

Sept. 11, '61,

3 Promoted from Capt. Co. C to Lt. Col., Sept. 20, '62-to Bv. Brig. Gen., March 13, '65-mustered out, Dec. 18, 1864-expiration of term.

Richard M. Jones ...

... do

Oct. 1, '61,

Promoted from Capt. Co. G to Maj., May 11, '65- to Lieut. Colonel, June 3, 1865-mustered out with regiment, July 17, 1865 -- Vet.

Daniel Nagle.

Major ..

Sept. 23, '61,

Promoted from Capt. Co. D, November 30, 1861- resigned July 26, 1862.

James Wren

.do

Sept. 19, '61, 3 Promoted from Capt. Co. B, September 20, 1862- resigned May 20, 1863.

Joseph A. Gilmour ..

Sept. 19, '61, 3

Pr. fr. Capt. Co. H, July 28, 1863-wd. in action, May 31, 1864-died June 9, 1864.

O. C. Bosbyshell.

Oct. 1, '61,

3 Pr. fr. Capt. Co. G, July 23, 1864-mustered out, October 1, 1864-expiration of term.

Jacob Wagner.

.do

Sept. 19, '61, 3 Promoted from Q. M. Sgt. to Q. M., Dec. 27, '62- to Major, June 21, 1865-mustered out with regiment, July 17, 1865.

John D. Bertolette. Daniel D. M'Ginnes

Adj .. .. do

1, '61, Sept. 19, '61,

3 Promoted to Capt. and A. A. G., Sept. 25, 1862. Promoted from Ist Sergeant to Adjutant, Sept. 26, 1862-resigned March 18, 1864.

Charles Loeser.

Oct. 1, '61,

3 Promoted from Ist Lieut. Co. C, June 25, 1864- mustered out, Oct. 1, '64-expiration of term.

H. C. Honsberger ...

Sept. 17, '61,

3 Promoted from Sergt. Maj., Dec. 17, 1864-mus- tered out with regiment, July 17, 1865-Vet. Resigned December 20, 1862.

Thos. Bohannan ......

.. do

Oct. 1, '61,

Promoted from Ist Lieut. Co. E, June 23, 1865- mustered out with regiment, July 17, 1865.

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History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. I, Part 206

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn Publication date: 1869 Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer Number of Pages: 1360

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn
Publication date: 1869
Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer
Number of Pages: 1360